I'm seeing a trend of parents letting their young children run around dog parks. Occasionally, a kid will get knocked down by an overly excited and curious dog. Parents feel dog owners should keep their dogs restrained within the dog park. Owners feel dogs should have a place to run and play without worrying about being stressed by kids.

I would feel it's really irresponsible to bring a toddler into a dog park. Not only is it unfair to the dogs, who are there specifically to play or interact with other dogs in an off-leash environment, but as a pet owner I'd be pretty peeved at having to worry about whether or not my enthusiastic dog is going to "play" with the kid and maybe knock them down.

I mean, they already have parks for children. They're called "parks" and "playgrounds".

The longer answer: It's a dog park, which means it's primarily for use for people with dogs. If it's an off-leash dog park, it's intended for dogs to be able to run and play, and a running child could easily be knocked down, possibly injured.

In this case, the parents are being very entitled and special snowflake...surely there are playgrounds or areas where dogs aren't allowed that could be used by the children instead? Besides, why would anyone let a toddler, who is as likely as not to put dirt or anything else in his/her mouth, run around in an area dogs have been using as a toilet? In an area where dogs have been doing their business, it's quite possible the kid could pick up a parasite or something. Seriously, what are these people thinking?

Our local dog park does not allow children under the age of 8 in the park and anyone under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. The dog park is for the dogs to run freely. There are plenty of kid parks for them to run freely.

They just don't mesh well when behaving in perfectly appropriate Toddler-like or Doggy-like ways.

(I have a long post about a dog and a muffin and my kid where I was NOT pleased with the dog or the owner's initial behaviour. If the exact same situation had happened at a dog park versus a kid park, I would have held myself entirely responsible)

I am one of those people who really really really gets ticked off when I see an unleashed dog in a non-dog park. I don't care how well trained your dog is, IMO it should never be off leash in public unless in a specifically "unleashed dog area". (I understand various localities have differing laws/rules about dogs, but I'm coming from the viewpoint of someone who lives, and jogs, in a city with leash laws; in other places obviously the local laws should be observed.)

As such the idea of a parent getting incensed over an unleashed dog in a dog park infuriates me! Because I want more dog owners to use dog parks and I want them to feel like its a safe, fun, welcoming place for their dogs, thus to encourage their use of dog parks. I would have no problem telling such a parent to shove it.

Only people accompanying dogs should go into a dog park. If a toddler is with an adult with a dog I guess it would be okay (unless expressly against the rule) but that toddler is in no way supposed to be allowed to run around.